The present invention generally relates to small rotary handheld power tools, and more particularly to an attachment interface for such tools.
Small handheld rotary power tools that perform drilling, sawing and other types of cutting and the like are known in the prior art and have been widely used by hobbyists, artisans, tradesmen and others in a wide variety of applications. Such rotary hand tools generally have a motor with a rotary output shaft that extends from a nose portion that is configured to have various accessories or attachment devices mounted thereon. Some of these rotary hand tools are quite powerful for their size and are often used by tradesmen in the building trades as spiral saws that have a side cutting rotary bit to penetrate and rapidly cut holes in drywall sheets for electrical switches, outlets, light fixtures and the like.
As is known in the art, such rotary hand tool tasks can be more easily performed by using an attachment device that is attached to the tool. For example, a depth adjustment attachment device is often used with such a spiral saw to limit the penetration of a cutting bit in a drywall sheet. Other types of attachment devices have been developed which increase the types of applications that can be carried out, such as an attachment device which incorporates a rotating saw blade that may be oriented perpendicular to the axis of the output shaft of the hand tool, or at other orientations. Other types of attachment devices may be used to facilitate increased control for delicate and/or accurate detail cutting. There are an increasing number of such attachment devices which increase the range of applications and use of such hand tools.
While all of such attachment devices have an attachment interface that is used to mount and often adjust the position of the attachment device on the hand tool, users welcome attachment interfaces which offer added benefits of convenience in attachment, efficiency and ease to use.